ReBowls 2 + 1 Fin Options

[StonedColdSteve]

Congratulations on the order, I feel that the re.bowls is a bit of a dark horse in the lineup, but it’s a really smooth and lively ride.

I usually run the True Ames bonzer bites with a 7.75” Lovelace fin in my 7’4”, as a larger human surfing New England waves. Can’t really tell the difference between the small and large bonzers. They help just enough to notice. On cruisier days I take them out sometimes. The board doesn’t really ever spin out as a single but it’s just a tad snappier with bites. I suspect that for this application, the different models are all not so different.

Thanks man! This is likely what I’ll try first. 7.75 and bonzer bites…

Skusty just got me fired up on learning more about upright side bites from TA now.

What do you mean by “Dark Horse in the lineup” out of curiosity? Just that it surprises people with it’s capabilities?

 

[Skusty]

Awesome feedback so much to unpack:

1. All I’ve ever used in my longboard is a 9.75 Greenough 4a so I’ll definitely have to try a smaller 4A (7.5-8) one day. Will give the 7.75 Vbowls a try first.

2. So the link you attached are actual “side bites” from TA. Instead of the “bonzer runners” that come with 2 large, 2 small. Didn’t even know these existed until now but I see they’re a little more upright than the bonzer runners. These also only have 1 tab instead of 2 so it looks like you could have them further up in the fin box or slightly back??? Anyone have experience comparing the more upright side bites vs the bonzer runners?

Obviously different for everyone and I’ll have to experiment I’m just stoked on learning “in general” about these variables having only surfed single fins and thrusters.

Pics attached for reference!

some people love the vbowls fin, if i was surfing more points i could see it working better for me, no right or wrong there

the bites on the left are the ones i use, set into the front box with the trailing tip aligned with the leading edge of the 4a (more or less). the middle ones i believe are the RFC canards and on the right are naked viking stu kenson canards (+/- 3"). i havent surfed either of the more upright ones (yet!) so cant speak to them in this application but find that the small bites give enough extra shreddability (very objectively) while maintaining much of the single fin flow

happy experimenting!

 

[paipodude]

Awesome feedback so much to unpack:

1. All I’ve ever used in my longboard is a 9.75 Greenough 4a so I’ll definitely have to try a smaller 4A (7.5-8) one day. Will give the 7.75 Vbowls a try first.

2. So the link you attached are actual “side bites” from TA. Instead of the “bonzer runners” that come with 2 large, 2 small. Didn’t even know these existed until now but I see they’re a little more upright than the bonzer runners. These also only have 1 tab instead of 2 so it looks like you could have them further up in the fin box or slightly back??? Anyone have experience comparing the more upright side bites vs the bonzer runners?

Obviously different for everyone and I’ll have to experiment I’m just stoked on learning “in general” about these variables having only surfed single fins and thrusters.

Pics attached for reference!

I have used both on my 50" bonzer paipo, actually at the same time until acquiring an additional pair of bonzer runners. The pictured small base fin will not provide the drive nor degree of water channeling nor are those canted.

This image shows the effect of the cant in the Bonzer runners:

https://mypaipoboards.org/pics/Rod_Bonzer14/Sidebites-smbzrrunnrs-4.5in-C_w600.jpg

 

[StonedColdSteve]

I have used both on my 50" bonzer paipo, actually at the same time until acquiring an additional pair of bonzer runners. The pictured small base fin will not provide the drive nor degree of water channeling nor are those canted.

This image shows the effect of the cant in the Bonzer runners:

https://mypaipoboards.org/pics/Rod_Bonzer14/Sidebites-smbzrrunnrs-4.5in-C_w600.jpg

Wow, that makes a lot of sense…

If I’ve got this right the shorter base of the TA side bite is so different than the longer base of the bonzer runners. It makes sense the bonzers would channel the water better having more surface area closer to the board itself.

“Cant” is another factor I’m not too familiar with but is clearly displayed in the picture you attached. Something about the tilt of those bonzers just looks like it would “hold” better and you could push off it a little more than the small/upright side bites.

Only guessing of course, this is starting to make more sense. Visually atleast.

 

[paipodude]

Here are the sides/runners (the Bonzer runners are the small versions)

I did sea trials with the new board, my first Bonzer, so I was familiarizing me with the board and the skeg set-up. Most people insisted I would want a large standard center fin (I had Malcolm ship the smallest standard True Ames center fin) -- the board all shipped the standard quad set, one pair of large runners and one pair of small runners. Figuring I'd need to figure the ideal setup for the board & my style of riding, I hauled a large collection of fins: three centers, the quad set of runners and the pair of small side bites. Fortunately, I had a good testing seas at a break I was very familiar with in a range of conditions. I ran through 5 different combinations over 5 days... basically reducing size at each iteration.

As I was still awaiting another pair of small bonzer runners I popped in a pair of knubsters forward and my small bonzer runners aft. That was another step forward progress, but a few months later my small runners arrived (via a trade with a friend in Okinawa, my large True Ames center for a pair of small bonzer runners), and I was at last in my sweet space

 

[Skusty]

sounds like maybe i should give the bonzer runners a run too - great writeup on your paipo fin experiences @paipodude

in my experience (or it may just fully be in my head) the little sides have been effective to help with hold on bigger waves without incurring some of the (perceived) decrease in maneuverability with a bigger fin - hydro-dynamically i cant be sure if thats the case (or how the water flow of the small bites act compared to the longer based and canted bonzer bites) but i'm open to understanding and trying new things